Multi-link operation method, and apparatus thereof

Abstract

A multi-link operation method is provided. The multi-link operation method may be applied to an apparatus. The multi-link operation method may include the following steps. The apparatus may establish a plurality of links with an access point (AP). Then, the apparatus may transmit a reconfiguration request to the AP to add at least one new link to the plurality of links and/or delete at least one link from the plurality of links. Then, the apparatus may receive a reconfiguration response associated with the reconfiguration request from the AP.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-link operation method, comprising:
 establishing, by a processor of an apparatus, a plurality of links with an access point (AP);   transmitting, by the processor, a reconfiguration request to the AP to add at least one new link to the plurality of links and/or delete at least one link from the plurality of links; and   receiving, by the processor, a reconfiguration response associated with the reconfiguration request from the AP.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-link operation method of  claim 1 , wherein the reconfiguration request comprises information about the at least one new link and information about the at least one link that needs to be deleted. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-link operation method of  claim 1 , wherein the reconfiguration response indicates that the AP agrees to add the at least one new link to the plurality of links and/or delete the at least one link from the plurality of links, or does not agree to add the at least one new link to the plurality of links and/or delete the at least one link from the plurality of links. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-link operation method of  claim 3 , wherein in response to the AP agreeing to add the at least one new link to the plurality of links, the reconfiguration response further comprises key information for the at least one new link. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-link operation method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the processor, an invitation frame from the AP; and   transmitting, by the processor, the reconfiguration request to the AP based on the invitation frame.   
     
     
         6 . An apparatus for multi-link operation, comprising:
 a transceiver, configured to perform wireless transmission and reception to and from an access point (AP);   a processor, coupled to the transceiver, and configured to:
 establish a plurality of links with the AP; 
 transmit, via the transceiver, a reconfiguration request to the AP to add at least one new link to the plurality of links and/or delete at least one link from the plurality of links; and 
 receive, via the transceiver, a reconfiguration response associated with the reconfiguration request from the AP. 
   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus for multi-link operation of  claim 6 , wherein the reconfiguration request comprises information of the at least one new link and information of the at least one link that needs to be deleted. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus for multi-link operation of  claim 6 , wherein the reconfiguration response indicates that the AP agrees to add the at least one new link to the plurality of links and/or delete the at least one link from the plurality of links, or does not agree to add the at least one new link to the plurality of links and/or delete the at least one link from the plurality of links, wherein in response to the AP agreeing to add the at least one new link to the plurality of links, the reconfiguration response further comprises key information for the at least one new link. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus for multi-link operation of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive, via the transceiver, an invitation frame from the AP; and   transmit, via the transceiver, the reconfiguration request to the AP based on the invitation frame.   
     
     
         10 . A multi-link operation method, comprising:
 establishing, by a processor of an access point (AP), a plurality of links with a station (STA);   receiving, by the processor, a reconfiguration request from the STA to add at least one new link to the plurality of links and/or delete at least one link from the plurality of links; and   transmitting, by the processor, a reconfiguration response associated with the reconfiguration request to the STA.   
     
     
         11 . The multi-link operation method of  claim 10 , wherein the reconfiguration request comprises information of the at least one new link and information of the at least one link that needs to be deleted. 
     
     
         12 . The multi-link operation method of  claim 10 , wherein the reconfiguration response indicates that the AP agrees to add the at least one new link to the plurality of links and/or delete the at least one link from the plurality of links, or does not agree to add the at least one new link to the plurality of links and/or delete the at least one link from the plurality of links. 
     
     
         13 . The multi-link operation method of  claim 12 , wherein in response to the AP agreeing to add the at least one new link to the plurality of links, the reconfiguration response further comprises key information for the at least one new link. 
     
     
         14 . The multi-link operation method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the processor, an invitation frame to the STA; and   receiving, by the processor, the reconfiguration request based on the invitation frame from the STA.   
     
     
         15 . The multi-link operation method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 determining, by the processor, whether any link in the plurality of links has low traffic or is in a power saving mode; and   transmitting, by the processor, the invitation frame to the STA in response to there being the at least one link having low traffic or being in a power saving mode to delete the at least one link having low traffic or being in a power saving mode.   
     
     
         16 . The multi-link operation method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 determining, by the processor, whether any link of the plurality of links has high traffic; and   transmitting, by the processor, the invitation frame to the STA in response to there being the at least one link having high traffic to add the at least one new link to the plurality of links.   
     
     
         17 . An access point (AP) for multi-link operation, comprising:
 a transceiver, configured to perform wireless transmission and reception to and from a station (STA);   a processor, coupled to the transceiver, and configured to:
 establish a plurality of links with the STA; 
 receive, via the transceiver, a reconfiguration request from the STA to add at least one new link to the plurality of links and/or delete at least one link from the plurality of links; and 
 transmit, via the transceiver, a reconfiguration response associated with the reconfiguration request to the STA. 
   
     
     
         18 . The AP for multi-link operation of  claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 transmit an invitation frame to the STA; and   receive, via the transceiver, the reconfiguration request based on the invitation frame from the STA.   
     
     
         19 . The AP for multi-link operation of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine whether any link of the plurality of links has low traffic or is in a power saving mode; and   transmit, via the transceiver, the invitation frame to the STA in response to there being the at least one link having low traffic or being in a power saving mode to delete the at least one link having low traffic or being in a power saving mode.   
     
     
         20 . The AP for multi-link operation of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine whether any link of the plurality of links has high traffic; and   transmit, via the transceiver, the invitation frame to the STA in response to there being the at least one link having high traffic to add the at least one new link to the plurality of links.